Heuchera plant named ‘Cinnabar Silver’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hybrid of  Heuchera  plant characterized by medium sized, dark leaves with heavy silver veiling; brick red colored flowers; compact, mounding habit; excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Heuchera hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Cinnabar Silver’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucherahybrid and given the cultivar name of ‘Cinnabar Silver’. Heuchera is inthe family Saxifragaceae. Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’ originated from across between Heuchera 45-1 (an unpatented, proprietary plant) as theseed parent, and Heuchera 68-2 (an unpatented, proprietary plant) as thepollen parent. Given its ornamental foliage and flower, it is probablethat Heuchera sanguinea and H. americana are in its parentage.

This new Heuchera is distinguished by:

-   -   1. Medium sized, dark leaves with heavy silver veiling.    -   2. Brick red colored flowers.    -   3. Compact, mounding habit.    -   4. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a three-year-old plant of Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’growing in a two gallon container in the shade house in April in Canby,Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows the same plant the year before grown under higher lightconditions.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Heuchera cultivarbased on observations taken in May of a three-year-old specimen grown athree gallon container in an open air shade house with 50% shade coverand added irrigation in the summer months in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95degrees F. in August to 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall inCanby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based onThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid.-   Variety denomination: ‘Cinnabar Silver’.-   Parentage: Heuchera 45-1 (seed parent)×Heuchera 68-1 (pollen    parent).-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.        -   Size.—22 cm tall from the ground to the top of the foliage            and 40 cm wide.        -   Habit.—Mounding.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color.            Roots develop easily from cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate, flattened appearance.        -   Lobing/division.—5 to 7 shallow lobes.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Margins.—Crenate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cordate, lobes sometimes slightly overlapping at the            base.        -   Blade size.—8.5 to 10 cm long and 8.5 to 9 cm wide.        -   Surface texture.—Sparsely glandular on both sides, satiny in            appearance, leathery feeling.        -   Petiole size.—10 cm long and 2 to 3 mm wide.        -   Petiole surface texture.—Glandular-pubescent.        -   Petiole color.—Brown 200D.        -   Leaf color.—Spring, summer topside — Before flowering the            new leaves are deep purple, Greyed Purple 187A with a purple            silver veil, Violet 87C. Once the flowers open the leaf            color is silver, Grey Green 198D with veins Grayed Purple            187A. Bottom side all seasons — Between Grayed Purple 187A            and Red Purple 59A and shiny. Winter topside — Silver,            Greyed Green 198D with veins between Yellow Green 147A and            Brown 200A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Thyrse.        -   Number of flowers.—150 per thyrse.        -   Number of thyrse in spring.—30 in first flush.        -   Peduncle.—With 0 to 3 petiolate cauline leaves, ovate,            blades grow to 3 cm long and 3 cm wide, margin crenate, base            usually cordate. Height — 46 cm. Diameter — 0.5 cm near            base. Color — Greyed Purple 187A. Surface texture —            Glandular hairs.        -   Pedicel.—Length — Variable. Surface texture — Glandular            hairs. Color — Grayed Purple 187A.        -   Bloom period.—May in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2 mm wide and 4 mm long.        -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.        -   Color.—Pink, Greyed Purple 185D at base and Greyed Yellow            160C at tip.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect, zygomorphic.        -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Size.—7 mm long and 7 mm wide.        -   Petal description.—5 in number, reflexed, 3 mm long and 0.8            mm wide, glandular on backs, margins mostly entire, tip            acute, base attenuate, bright pink, Red 52B.        -   Calyx description.—7 mm deep and 7 mm wide, 5 lobes, ovate,            cut ¼ way to the base, with glandular hairs, reflex, tip            acute, margins entire, inside color is between Greyed Red            179A and Red 47A, outside base is Greyed Red 178A, middle            and lobes are Greyed Red 179A.        -   Stamen description.—5, reduced, filaments White 155A, 2 mm            long, anthers sterile, Greyed Yellow 161C.        -   Pistil.—6 mm long, Yellow Green 154C, two beaked.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—Each thyrse blooms for about 2 weeks on the            plant.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Two-beaked ovoid capsule.        -   Color.—Brown 200D.-   Seed:    -   -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Size.—2 mm. long.        -   Color.—Black. RHS 202A.-   Pest and disease tolerance: Excellent disease resistance to powdery    mildew, the common problem of Heuchera. Susceptible to Heuchera rust    and root weevils.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR HEUCHERAS

Compared to Heuchera ‘Swirling Fantasy’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,542),Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’ has brick red colored flowers rather thanpinkish red. The new cultivar has shorter flower stalks and much moreleaf silvering.

Compared to Heuchera ‘Cherries Jubilee’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,377),the new variety has larger, darker flowers and darker, heavily veiledleaves.

Compared to the seed parent, Heuchera 45-1 (an unpatented, proprietaryplant), the new variety has shorter flowering stems and larger flowersof brick red rather than dull red.

Compared to the pollen parent, Heuchera 68-2 (an unpatented, proprietaryplant), the new variety has darker leaves, a heavier veil, and brick redrather than dull orange red flowers.

1. A new and distinct hybrid of Heuchera plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.